Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a type of emergency care you can give at home to an infant or child who has stopped breathing. If you are alone, give CPR for two minutes, then call 911 for emergency help. If someone else is with you, have her call 911 immediately while you begin rescue care. Although it is good to familiarize yourself with the basic steps for child or infant CPR, it is best to take a class, recommends BabyCenter.
Assess the Child's Condition
Lay the baby or child on the floor or ground, and gauge whether he has any signs of life. According to Toddlers Today, this should take no more than five seconds. To remember what to do, think of using your senses of sight, hearing and touch. Look to see if the child is breathing. Put your head on his chest and listen for breathing sounds. Finally, try to feel his breath on your neck. If there are no signs of breathing, continue with CPR.
Clear the Airway
If the child is trying to breathe, tilt her head back by pointing her chin toward the ceiling while holding her forehead down. This will open her airway and may be enough to allow her to breathe. If this is the case, hold her head in that position until help arrives. If no breathing signs are present, begin rescue breathing.
Rescue Breathing
If the child is an infant, place your mouth over his nose and mouth and give two small breaths. Blow only enough air to make his chest rise, then stop; blowing more air than that can damage his lungs. If the child is older than 1 year old, pinch his nose shut and blow into his mouth only, until his chest rises. If the chest does not rise, it is because his airway is blocked. Look inside his mouth and see if you can see an object blocking his throat. If you can, remove it with your fingers. If not, place the child on his stomach and deliver five firm blows between his shoulder blades. Whether the child's airway is clear, continue with chest compressions.
Circulation
Circulation, or chest compression, takes the place of the child's heart beating. It will allow the heart to circulate blood through the body while you wait for medical help. After you have given the child two rescue breaths, compress her chest 30 times, recommends BabyCenter. If the child is under 1 year of age, use two or three fingers to gently compress the middle of the sternum slightly below her nipple line. For an older child, use the heel of your hand to compress the chest firmly 30 times. After 30 compressions, give two more rescue breaths, and repeat as necessary until the paramedics arrive.
